Get To Hoppin’ This Weekend

Two The Hop streetcars pass each on E. St. Paul Ave. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.

Summerfest lineups are being announced, the days are lasting longer and all of that heavy snow feels like a distant memory – spring is finally here. While it’s not quite outdoor events weather yet, there’s still plenty of events to check out around Milwaukee.

The REALTORS Home & Garden Show will take over the Wisconsin State Fair Expo Center this weekend and next, featuring over 300 exhibits and plenty of inspiration for your next home makeover project. The Hop is putting on a free, family-friendly event that includes playing bingo on a streetcar and Milwaukee guitarist Greg Koch will perform at The Cooperage for the first time with his band The Koch Marshall Trio.

March 24: Hear Here Presents The Koch Marshall Trio 

Internationally-celebrated Milwaukee-born guitarist Greg Koch will perform at The Cooperage for the first time with his band The Koch Marshall Trio. The performance is sponsored by record label Hear Here Presents, who recently put out a live session of the Koch Marshall Trio. Also performing is the Wisconsin-based trio The Stephen Hull Experience. Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 day of the show. Doors open at 7 p.m. and music starts at 8 p.m.

March 24-26, April 1: Brick By Brick The Schneider House

The historic Schneider House, built by architect John Rugee, is offering a glimpse into Milwaukee history with Trove Arts’ Brick By Brick artistic event. Brick By Brick is a non-alcoholic paint-and-sip event featuring multimedia storytelling and a step-by-step art project – all taking place within the Cream City brick walls of the Victorian manor. Guests will also learn about Emil Schneider, the first owner and resident of the house, as well as the many other residents that called The Schneider House home. Doors open at 7 p.m. for a pre-show tour of the house, 813 S. 3rd St. A collection of historical documents, photos and information will be displayed throughout. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the Trove Arts website.

March 24-26, March 29-April 2: REALTORS Home & Garden Show

Spring is almost here, and for many homeowners, that means it’s time to start thinking about breathing new life into your garden spaces as well as doing some spring cleaning and renovation around the house. The REALTORS Home & Garden Show provides all of the inspiration and home improvement tips and trends to get in the right headspace for taking on those dream gardening and home remodeling projects. The event will take place at the Wisconsin State Fair Expo Center and will feature over 300 exhibits. To purchase tickets and view the hours of operation, visit the Wisconsin State Fair Park website.

March 25: Sour Fest 2023

Fans of sour beers rejoice – MobCraft Beer is throwing a party that will feature over 25 MobCraft sours on tap. MobCraft Beer is also releasing its Sour Golden Ale and its variants – which include the Sour Golden Ale with Shrub Cherry, the Sour Golden Ale Blueberry Lemon and the Sour Golden Ale Stone Fruit. Sour Fest is free and open to the public, and will run from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.

March 25: MKEfest Canvas & Corks

Thelma Carol Wine Merchants is hosting MKEfest, a pop-up art gallery featuring live art, wine, music and charcuterie. From 3 p.m. to 8 p.m., guests can experience the art of Emily Adrienne, Rodney Dukes, Kashes Collection and more for $30, which also includes wine tasting and charcuterie. Thelma Carol Wine Merchants opened in July of last year, so it’s a great opportunity to check out both local art and a relatively new bottle shop.

March 26: Milwaukee Fairytale Ball

A diverse cast of fictional princesses will be on site at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Milwaukee for the Milwaukee Fairytale Ball. This event is perfect for both small children and the Disney adults in your life, as it gives princess fans a chance to meet their favorite characters in real life, including photo opportunities as well as autographs. There will also be sing-a-longs, crafts, games and a royal entrance. The event is separated into three time slots: 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. Tickets range from $22 to $35. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the Eventbrite website.

March 27-April 8: The Hop Family Week

The Hop is offering a fun-filled way to experience downtown Milwaukee with your family starting this weekend with Family Hop. The event features Hop Bingo, where participants will ride The Hop and try to spot all of the items on their bingo card along the way. Once the ride is over, participants will receive a sticker from the streetcar driver that can be used to redeem a free cupcake from Classy Girl Cupcakes. On April 1, Rooted MKE will host storytime in a stationary streetcar outside of The Hop maintenance building. This event has limited space and will run from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. The Hop Family Week is a free event. More details on available on the event webpage.